Mount Vernon Optic-Herald

Government offices and citizens are asked to fly their  U. S. flags at half-staff Saturday, May 15, National Peace Officers Memorial Day. The tradition honors the 140 men and women who died in the line of duty during 2009 and the thousands who died in previous years.
In Texas, 11 officers were killed in the line of duty in 2009: four from gunfire, four from either vehicle assault or accident; two by heart attack; and one from a duty related illness.
Peace Officers Memorial Day was adopted to honor the federal, state, and municipal officers who have been killed or disabled in the line of duty.   More than 18,983 have died since the first known death in 1792. See the May 13 edition of the Optic-Herald for more details.